(2012) MiNr. 719 (MH 167) ** - Czech Republic - Bata Canal - stamp booklet

Bata Canal - a unique technical feature among the waterways of Central Europe

Bata's Canal, officially called The Otrokovice-Rohatec Waterway, is a remarkable technical monument and an example of interwar industrial development in the territory of the former Czechoslovakia. The construction was built in 1934-1938 on the initiative of the shoemaker Tomáš Bat'a, or his successors, with the aim of making the transport of lignite from the mines in Ratíškovice to the factories in Otrokovice more efficient.

Industrial project with a vision

At the time of its creation, the canal was part of a broader concept to connect the Morava with the Danube and further with the European river network. The original length was 51.8 km, part of which ran through the natural course of the Morava River and the rest through newly built navigable sections. Technically, it was a combination of river and artificial waterway with a system of locks, bridges and weirs. A total of 14 locks were built to overcome the differences in the height of the river.

The project was designed not only as a transport artery, but also as a symbol of Zlín's economic strength and modern approach to infrastructure. The construction took place in difficult conditions, including the economic crisis, yet was completed in four years.

From Decline to Reconstruction

After World War II, the importance of the Bata Canal gradually declined. Coal mining was replaced by other sources of energy, shipping was reduced and the neglected infrastructure led to a complete disruption of operations in the 1970s. However, in the 1990s, thanks to the efforts of regional stakeholders, the reconstruction and revitalisation of the canal for recreational and tourist navigation purposes began.

Today the Bata Canal represents not only a technical monument, but also an important element of the regional identity of South and Central Moravia. Its route connects a number of culturally and historically valuable places - e.g. Uherské Hradiště, Veselí nad Moravou or Strážnice. The canal has also become a symbol of environmentally friendly tourism and a return to waterways as an alternative to road transport.

Bata Canal in a wider context

The significance of the Bata Canal today goes beyond the regional context - it is part of the debate on inland waterway transport, on the protection of cultural technical monuments and on the sustainable use of historical infrastructure. From the point of view of heritage conservation and the popularisation of technical buildings, it is an inspiring example of how a First Republic vision can be revived and adapted to contemporary needs.